The Greatest Treasure
by Texan Red Rose
Summary: AU. Shego, 16, is about to embark on her first mission, eager to prove herself as a Global Justice agent. Will she be able to help her mentor, Dr. Drakken, catch the elusive thief known as Scarlet?
1. First Taste

Author's Note: Okay, warning here, MAJORLY AU. Majorly. Which means slightly... okay, pretty OOC. Okay, MAJORLY OOC. How I arrived at this idea can be found at the bottom, to avoid spoilers. Though, you might be able to guess halfway through... anyway, give it a shot before your reality sensor hits overdrive, 'kay?

**Disclaimer:** Kim Possible and all related characters are property of the mouse. I am not a mouse. Therefore, I do not own.

_The Greatest Treasure_

Shego involuntarily took a step back as the bay door dropped open on the standard Global Justice transport plane, the wind wiping at her small frame. Aside from the roar of the engines and a few agents shouting commands, the world beyond the door was calm and nearly serene, lights from the city below dancing beneath the plane as it sped through the night. With a slight shake of her head, the ebony haired teen grit her teeth and forced herself forward, followed closely by her guardian.

"We're nearing the drop zone!" the blue skinned agent yelled over the wind while checking his watch. He put a black gloved hand on Shego's shoulder, preventing the young woman from advancing to the door's edge. "Remember, Shego, you're still not a full fledged agent! Watch and learn but _don't_ engage!"

"I got it, Dr. D, let's just go already!" Shego impatiently huffed, shrugging off his hand. She'd already read the mission briefing half a dozen times, knew their target's entire dozier backwards and forwards, and probably knew more about their mission than any other Global Justice agent. At sixteen years old, the emerald hued teenager was more than ready to prove herself as a capapble field agent, a title she felt she already deserved. Yet, fate was cruel and either Dr. Drakken, her guardian and mentor, was refusing to push the paperwork through or Dr. Director _really_ didn't like her. Both were very plausible but whatever the reason, it hardly mattered now; she was about to drop in on one of GJ's most wanted villains.

Part of her was absolutely ecstatic to be chasing down the near legendary thief known simply as 'Scarlet', a woman who continued to elude authorities despite being wanted, officially, in eleven countries. From the rumors Shego had dug up on the internet, she was wanted unofficially in at least seven more. Scarlet was only 'near legendary' because the earliest reports of her surfaced about five years prior. During her research, Shego had learned that, while half a decade was a respectable amount of time to operate as an elusive thief, Scarlet was only now beginning to cause major headaches the world over. To some degree, Shego had to respect the woman's prowess. However, if capturing Scarlet would grant Shego field agent status, the teen would gladly bring the criminal in, with or without Drakken's help.

"Shego, you simply _must_ learn patience!" Drakken chided, check his watch again. He was nervous bringing Shego along for this mission, especially considering who they were up against. True, his boss did consider him to be the subject matter expert when it came to Scarlet, but Drakken spent most of his career in GJ's developmental research labs, rarely went on a mission. He couldn't be sure why Dr. Director had suddenly decided _now_ was the time to give Shego her first taste of field work. Drakken snuck a glance at his excited young ward, decked out in a uniform matching his own- the standard navy blue Global Justice jumpsuit- and again thought how strange it was to see her in something other than her usual light green tank top and bagggy black sweatpants. The jumpsuit didn't do her justice, he decided; while it practically blended into his skin, it made Shego look like a ghost. It didn't help that she had only a fraction of the equipment he did; she lacked the shoulder harness that housed many of the gadgets and gizmos the R&D lab cooked up. The good doctor was abruptly brought from his musings by his watch's persistant beeping. "Alright, it's time. Now remember, just walk-"

"Do what now?" Shego called over her shoulder, pretending she couldn't hear Drakken's instructions as she took confident strides to the edge of the door and, without so much as pausing, stepped out into the open sky, allowing the laws of physics to do the rest. Freefalling from planes was almost natural now; this would be her twelfth 'jump' from a transport plane and her first mission jump.

However, the downside to freefalling is that, inevitably, the ground was waiting and it always rushed to meet Shego. Without consciously thinking about it, she pulled the ripcord of her parachute and drifted towards the roof of the museum they were sent to check out. Apparently, someone had contacted GJ with a tip about the visiting Egypt Exhibit being Scarlet's next target. A few feet from the roof, Shego hit the quick release on her harness and landed in a crouch, emerald eyes scanning the area for any sign of their target. A few feet away, Drakken was making a far less graceful landing; he saw no reason to jump out of a perfectly good plane. he upside was this time, at least, he didn't feel nearly as queasy as usual.

"Dr. D, look!" Shego hissed, pointing towards an open skylight, a rope tied off to a nearby pipe leading into the museum. The teen felt herself fighting to control her excitement; Scarlet really was here! She was going to see firsthand the woman who had escaped Global Justice's best agents countless times!

The blue agent followed Shego's finger and noticed the obvious entry point, a slight weight settling over him. So she was here; just perfect. As the two made their way to the open skylight, Drakken fought a quick battle between his fondness for his young ward and his better judgement before grabbing hold of the rope, intent on following Scarlet's footsteps. "I'm going in, Shego. You stay here-"

"What?" the teen scowled at her blue guardian as he started down the rope. She had wanted to scream but somehow managed a very angry whisper.

"You're pulling guard duty," Drakken stated, lowering himself a foot. However, movement out of the corner of his eyes stopped him. Of course she was going to be difficult about this. "Ah ah, where do you think you're going?"

"You told me to 'watch and learn' remember? How am I suppose to do that from out here?" Shego crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the senior agent. While she knew the particular gleam he had in his eye meant she was going to lose this exchange, the emerald teen wasn't going down without a fight. "I'm never going to learn until you give me the chance!"

"I will give you the chance, Shego, but you _have_ to trust me first," he firmly stated, coal black eyes meeting raging emerald. Drakken was not about to back down, not when he actually had a chance at stopping Scarlet. "If Scarlet comes this way, I'll need-"

"Dr. D, you damn well know she never leaves the same way she enters!" the teen argued, trying her hardest to keep from frying the blue skinned man right then and there. While it would make her feel immensely better, it probably wouldn't help her situation in the slightest.

"Okay, first off, language!" Drakken scolded the girl, wondering what he did in a past life to curse him with such a rebellious charge. "Secondly, you _are_ staying right here! Pull guard duty or I'm not bringing you on another assignment, ever!"

Shego growled, half certain it was an empty threat but unwilling to test the theory. With noted fury, she watched as her guardian descend into the museum. The moment she thought he was out of earshot, Shego vented her frustration on the night sky, letting loose several plasma blasts that disolved into nothingness long before they arched back towards the ground. She could've focused them, turning her plasma blasts into very painful long range projectiles, but the teen had no intention of adding destruction of private property to her mission report. Instead, the emerald hued girl found a nice spot in the shadow of an airconditioning unit to sit and wait for the mission to be over; no way she would be able to do anything else save for wait until it was all over anyway. At least the night was pretty.

-BREAK-

Drakken crept along the hallway, eyes scanning for any sign of the thief. He knew she was still there; she typically waited until some authority figure showed up so she could confirm her presence and would then disappear. As no alarms had gone off, and there was no shouting from the night guards, Drakken assumed his quary was still lingering somewhere in the Egypt Exhibit. And, he was right.

"You know, to me, this is a hard decision! Both of them would look spankin' in my living room. Right next to that Anubis Amulet, you now?" a familiar feminine voice drifted to the blue agent's ears, sounding at once concerned about whatever decision she was contemplating and utterly disinterested in it. Creeping closer to the source of the voice, Drakken listened intently while arguing with himself on how to handle Scarlet when they came face-to-face. "Well, yeah, I could take them both, but then I would have no reason to follow the exhibit any more. The Ra and Osiris statuettes are really the only things that interest me; what's the point of getting them both in one grab?"

Drakken reached the large doorway leading into the exhibit and slowly peeked around the corner, catching sight of the thief known the world over as Scarlet. Though a year had passed since he last saw her, Drakken noticed the young woman hadn't changed much. She was leaning against a glass case, a sizeable hole cut into the glass to the side of her elbow, while holding two six inch stone statues, one in each hand. Her crimson read hair was draped over her right shoulder in a neat braid, tied off by a scarlet ribbon, striking a stark contrast to the brown vest she wore over a tan t-shirt. Even the brown utility belt around her waist looked exactly as he remembered it, hanging off her left hip with a pouch large enough to fit one, possibly both, of the statues on her right side, doing nothing to keep her baggy black jeans in place. The boots, however, were new, black leather by the looks of them and calf high, a gold buckle at her ankles. Olive green orbs, focused on the statues, never glanced his way, yet, somehow, she knew.

"Gotta go, Wade. I've got company," she replaced the statue of Osiris in the case and then touched her right ear, turning off the handsfree device before turning her full attention to the doorway. Realizing she knew he, specifically, was there, Drakken stepped into the room, meeting her olive gaze with his own coal black scowl.

"Dropped the pretense already, Kimberly?" Drakken sounded stern, using the tone he took with Shego whenever the teenager got out of hand. The redhead before him, however, was unfazed, smiling as she started tossing the statue in her left hand.

"Oh, Mr. Lipsky, there's no reason for it. You already know who we are. And, please, call me Kim; you're still Dad's best friend, right?" Kim watched the Global Justice agent, appearing amused with his presence. Drakken sighed, passing a hand over his face. He really couldn't believe, even after five years, that James' daughter, Kimberly Possible, had turned to a life of crime. True, it had started out as helping an expidition team recover artifacts from ancient Mayan ruins, but it went far beyond that; now, Kim stole from whoever had something she wanted. The worst part: she _enjoyed_ it.

"What happened to you?" Drakken sighed, meeting her eyes once more. A flash across those olive orbs told him he hit a sore spot, just like every time he asked that question. The flash was all he got in liue of an answer, as usual. Pocketing the statue, Kim turned to leave through whatever exit she planned out; her goal was accomplished the moment he stepped into the room, after all. The blue skinned agent wasn't about to let her just walk away though. Taking a few steps towards her and settling into an awkward defensive stance, Drakken bellowed at the young woman, whom he knew was barely in her twenties. "Now stop right there!"

"Or what?" Kim sounded bored, turning back to the agent with her hands on her hips. She was cocky, too cocky in Drakken's opinion. She was going to get herself captured, or worse, if she kept acting like she was invincible. Well, if anyone was going to deliver the girl a sound beating, it _should_ be him; James was like a brother to him anyway.

"You think you're all that, don't you!" he roared, charging at the redhead with his fist cocked back. Drakken made it to three feet from his target before she moved, far quicker than he'd ever seen Kim move before.

"Oh, I am, Mr. Lipsky," Kim whispered from behind, somehow flanking him in a single fluid motion. There was a sharpness to her voice that went beyond the typical Possible 'can-do' attitude. In a brief flash of deja vu, Dr. Drakken wondered how badly he'd come away from the one sided scuffle _this _time.

-BREAK-

Shego sighed, grumbling something incoherent to herself as she waited for something to happen. She was positive Drakken would fail- the man could barely keep up with her in a foot race, and forget fighting- but she didn't know how GJ collected their agents after assignments. For a moment, she felt a little foolish; perhaps she wasn't quite ready for the field. Maybe she needed a little more training.

No, she assured herself with sudden vigor, frowning at the roof before her. She was ready; she just needed a chance to prove it. If _only_ she could do something- wait. Shego's head snapped up, emerald eyes scanning the sky above. It was low and far off, but she was certain she heard the roar of a jet engine. The nearest airport was too far away to account for the sound, and she was fairly certain no flightpaths passed over the museum anyway.

Her attention was pulled away from the sky as the rope suddenly went taunt, obviously supporting weight from the other side of the skylight. Shego frowned; of course Drakken had failed and there was a GJ transport plane heading to pick them up. She really shouldn't have been surprised but she badly wanted something exciting to happen on her first mission. It looked like things would be a total bust. Then, a noise other than the gradual approach of a jet caught her attention. It was a soft grunt but it didn't sound like her guardian at all; something about the noise sounded... different.

"No way, she always uses a separate exit, right?" Shego mumbled to herself, quietly shifting into a crouching stance, just in case. No sooner had she started to doubt her own instincts when a hand, encased in a light brown glove, took hold of the skylight's edge. In complete shock, Shego watched as a lithe, attractive redhead pulled herself through the skylight easily, stretching her arms above her head with a yawn. Rotating her left shoulder a bit, the woman, whom Shego recognized easily as her target, reached into her pocket and produced a small statue.

"Yeah, definitly glad I went with Ra. I'll snatch Osiris at the next museum," Scarlet mused aloud, apparently unaware of Shego's presence. "So not the drama! Not like anyone even comes close to catching me anyway."

Shego took a steadying breath, her heart racing as she assessed the situation. Obviously, Drakken had failed, just as she suspected, but now _she_ had a chance to catch Scarlet herself. The only problem was Shego wasn't quite sure _how_ to do it, aside from knocking the young woman out. The teen shrugged to herself; if it was the only way, it would have to do. Focusing on Scarlet's back, Shego launched forward, rushing at the unsuspecting woman. For a moment, her mind wondered if simply tackling the woman would be the most effective means of subduing her, but the voice was quickly quashed. Shego lowered her shoulder and braced herself as she jumped at Scarlet.

The impact never came though; instead, Shego found herself sailing over the crouched redhead. Summoning all the grace she had, Shego tucked her head and rolled when she hit the ground, springing into an offensive fighting stance the moment she could do so without falling over. Determined to prove herself, emerald orbs settled on her target, who was smiling back at her.

"My, you are a cute one," Scarlet giggled, either at her comment or Shego's face as it fell, it was tough to say. The teen blinked and shook her head, trying to ignore the blush creeping into her cheeks. "What's your name, Sweetie?"

"M-my name's Shego, and I'm with Global Justice! I'm, uh, here to arrest you for, um, theft!" Shego stumbled over the words, mentally kicking herself as Scarlet's smile grew wider. Lacking her usual verbal skills, Shego instead launched at the redhead, cocking back her fist to deliver a solid punch to that beautiful smiling face. In the blink of an eye, Scarlet was sliding low to Shego's right, looking to flank the teen. Not looking to be so easily bested, as soon as her next foot hit the roof, Shego reversed her momentum, lashing out with a kick that struck the woman square in her chest. With a soft 'umph!', the redhead stumbled backwards, ending up on her rear before she could really process what happened. She blinked a few times before grinning at Shego.

"You're a quick little thing," Scarlet tucked her knees into her chest and righted herself effortlessly. Settling into a defensive stance, the statuette still in her right hand, the thief winked while beckoning the teen forward. "Show me what you've got, Babydoll."

Shego growled, her embarrassment from the pet names and Scarlet in general giving way to her anger. She _hated_ when people failed to take her seriously. Granted, she was just a teenager but that was part of the problem as well. Without really thinking, Shego jumped at the redhead, looking to land a flying kick to the woman's face and knock that smile off it. Scarlet merely ducked and pushed the limb aside, throwing Shego's balance off. She landed, but not nearly as gracefully, and at once had to react to an incoming punch.

They danced across the roof, trading blows. Well, not really; Shego spent most of the exchange on the offensive, having her attacks either dodged, knocked aside, or, when her attacks did land, appeared ineffective. Scarlet, for her part, only attacked whenever Shego tried to catch her breath but the blows were more or less taps, light hits that upset the teen's balance or annoyed her. Her frustration with the redhead grew until she tried for another flying kick, which was dodged again, and tried to instantly start a new assault. She set one foot back to give her a firmer base but was overcome with horror as she felt her boot slip off the concrete. Shego hadn't noticed how close she'd been to the edge until just then and her stomach lurched as she felt herself start to fall off the museum's roof. It was a completely different sort of weightlessness than walking off the edge of a bay door; it was far from pleasant. And, she imagined, the landing would be too. Well, _this_ sucked.

Suddenly, Shego's progress to the ground waiting below was halted by a hand grabbing her wrist, the grip so tight it was almost painful. Emerald eyes sought out her guardian, Drakken, who was the only person her mind could supply as her savior. Instead of coal black, she met olive green. Slowly, carefully, Scarlet pulled Shego back onto the roof, taking a few steps back, still holding the teen's wrist, until she was certain the danger had passed. At about that moment, Shego realized she'd stopped breathing at some point and began heaving, bending over with her hands on her knees as her body shook. In her head, she was screaming, processing what could have happened had Scarlet not grabbed her. That was _terrifying_! She damn near died!

Somewhere in the back of her mind, some rational voice that wasn't distracted from the near death experience just moments ago, Shego noted that the faint rumbling of a jet's engine had grown to a near deafening volume.

"Huh, my ride's here," Scarlet waved to the dark blue harrier jet, hovering at the far edge of the roof. When she looked back at Shego, the teen couldn't even imagine trying to continue their fight, still feeling her hands shaking. The thief regarded her a moment, then looked at the statue in her hand. Shego closed her eyes, unwilling to witness the failure of her first mission first hand, but opened them again when she felt Scarlet grab her still trembling hand and place the stone statue in it.

"Wh-wha-?" Shego's mind failed to work properly, emerald eyes searching smiling olive orbs for some explanation.

"That is for the fight," Scarlet smiled, then leaned down- she was about half a foot taller than Shego- and planted a soft kiss in the middle of the teen's forehead. Shego felt herself start blushing furiously, both hands gripping the statue for fear she might drop it. Scarlet just smirked at her. "And _that_ was for being cute." Turning back towards the jet, the redhead walked away, calling over her shoulder as she went. "I'll be back for those statues, Babydoll. I'll be very disappointed if you aren't there to stop me!"

Before Shego could come up with anything to call back, the hatch on the jet popped back, revealing a blonde man roughly Scarlet's age sitting in the pilot's seat. The thief easily jumped the distance between the roof and the jet's wing, calmly walking to the copilot seat and settling herself in. As the hatch slid close, Scarlet threw Shego one last smile, then blew the teen a kiss. All the while, Shego just stood there, clutching the statue, as the jet lifted up into the night sky and flew away.

After a few moments of silence, Shego growled and slapped her forehead with one hand. That was stupid; she just _let_ Scarlet walk away! She didn't even _try_ to stop her! What the hell!

"Oh, don't beat yourself up, Shego," Drakken's voice pulled Shego from her internal ranting, the man himself limping over to her from the roof access door. He was badly bruised, as was the usual outcome of his missions involving the redhead, but he would be fine in a few days.

"Dr. D, you okay?" Shego jogged over to her guardian, presenting him with the statue. "Here, uh, I... got it back."

"That's good," the senior agent smiled, accepting the artifact and looking it over. Despite being thousands of years old, the Ra statuette looked to be in excellent condition. "Dr. Director will be pleased with our success. You know no one's ever stopped her before, right?"

"Well, yeah," Shego shrugged, still feeling a tad bit embarrassed about the whole ordeal. She needed to not get so flustered next time- and there _would_ be a next time, she was certain of it- since the redheaded thief seemed to enjoy upsetting her balance. As they waited for transportation of their own, Shego asked her guardian all the questions she had, making a list of the things she needed to improve on before her next mission. Though she wouldn't admit it, not even to the blue agent beside her, Shego had a _lot_ of work to do if she wanted to catch Scarlet. And, oh, did the teen want to catch that woman!

-BREAK-

"Hey, KP? Who was that kid?" Ron, Kim's best friend for nearly two decades, piloted the jet away from the museum with practiced ease, his ever present assistant, the naked mole rat Rufus, watching the redhead over Ron's shoulder.

"A very cute Global Justice agent," Kim replied with a laugh, leaning back in her seat. She hadn't expected a second agent to be accompanying Drew Lipsky, her father's best friend, also known as Dr. Drakken. However, it was a decidedly pleasant surprise. "Her name's Shego."

"Shego huh? Sounds exotic," the blond laughed, setting a course for home. He had watched the majority of the fight from above and couldn't help but be impressed with the girl's skills, even if they were unrefined. She had potential, and Ron knew his best friend had picked up on it as well. While he had some reservations about how Kim handled the situation, namely giving up the score right before a clean getaway, he chose to wait until they got back to their pad. He was certain Wade, their technological guru, would have some questions, as well as the rest of the team. Best to knock it out all at once. "By the way, she looked, uh, a little pale."

"I think her skin is green. Couldn't really tell in the moonlight, but I like it," Kim shrugged, sighing a little as she looked out at the night sky. A small smile claimed her lips as she thought of the next time they would meet; she was certain Shego would try her hardest to improve her fighting in the meantime. It would be a lot more fun of a fight then, and that only added to the excitement. "How old do you think she is?"

Ron blinked, thinking the question was a bit out of the blue. Then again, Kim had been blowing around the world on a whim for the past five years, doing whatever she desired the moment the desire took hold; he really shouldn't have been surprised. "Uh, I'd guess fourteen to seventeen. Can't be a full fledged agent yet- she didn't have the usual mission load. Why?"

"Come on, Ron, you know me," Kim gave a sexy smirk, closing her eyes. "I'm always looking for the greatest treasure to steal. I think I just found it."

"And that would be...?" Ron frowned, feeling slightly uneasy. While he had agreed to support Kim through thick and thin, including her new lifestyle as an international archeological thief, there were certain limits he was not willing to let either of them cross.

"A young girl's heart, of course," Kim laughed, replaying the fight in her mind, the fierce determination in those emerald eyes sticking in her mind. Oh how she loved that fire. "I just hope I don't have to wait four years to claim my prize."

-end(?)-

Author's Note II: See? I told you: majorly AU and majorly OOC. Where did I get this from? One of rinacat's pics: _Younger and Older._ The first time I saw the pic, I thought Kim looked like an archeologist. Which lead me to thinking about Indiana Jones. Which somehow lead to Lara Croft (Tomb Raider). I arrived at deciding Older Kim would be a thief who steals artifacts from museums (she also steals paintings, but only when the mood strikes her). And who's gonna chase her? Younger Shego, Global Justice agent, of course!

As always, comments appreciated. :D


	2. Report!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the KP cast and the idea for this story comes from rinacat's _Younger and Older_ pic.

Chapter 2: Report!

A single onyx eye scanned the reports spread out on the woman's desk, completely ignoring the two men standing just a few feet away. Doctor Betty Director, the head and founder of Global Justice, would attend to her agents in just a moment; currently, she was engrossed in the after actions reviews the two senior agents had presented to her. Both missions had gone exceptionally well, far better than she was expecting, and now she had some decisions to make.

"Agent Du," Betty called forward the younger agent, his jet black hair and matching eyes gleaming in the soft light. He was a determined young man, focused and driven, if a touch arrogant due to his elevated status within Global Justice at a young age. "You are certain about this?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Will nodded, standing before the desk akin to a soldier facing his superior. He had learned to relax a little in front of Dr. Director- not enough to be disrespectful in any way- but still maintained a stiff posture. "The files I managed to download from the In-terror-net point to a projected rise in activity, most likely having to do with the Worldwide Empire of Evil's latest plans. I wasn't able to locate any information on the plans themselves but their leader does promise an, and I quote, 'era of villoneous prosperity' in the coming months."

"'Villoneous'? Is that even a word?" Betty grumbled, glaring down at the report a moment before shifting her attention to the other agent, who always seemed on edge in her presence. She didn't think much of it though; typically she only spoke to the man during debriefings and, as now, he was usually beatened up pretty soundly. "Dr. Drakken. Was the Ra statuette returned to the museum?"

"Yes, Doctor," Drakken gruffly replied, trying his hardest not to glare at the chestnut haired woman. While he had come to enjoy his role under GJ's employ, Drakken had tried his hardest to fly under the boss' radar, prefering the comparative safety of his lab to the dangers of field work. She was well aware of this but ignored it occassionally, when it suited the needs of Global Justice. Drakken honestly thought she sent him out sometimes just for kicks, but he kept that thought to himself. "The Egypt Exhibit is completely intact and will be moving on to the next museum soon. The exhibit's curators have assured me that security will be improved due to Scarlet's promise to return for the idols."

"Yes, that does fit her style, doesn't it?" Betty mused, shuffling the papers into one neat stack and depositing them in one of her many drawers. She would need to review them later, comb through for the details her agents either did not deem important or forgot to include; she knew the tells of each of her field agents and could always see when they were trying to cover themselves or someone else. Just because Global Justice was a worldwide intelligence service and crime fighting organization didn't mean her agents didn't make mistakes from time to time. "Very well. Agent Du, I want you to continue tracking down these leads. We _must_ know what the WEE is planning and how to stop it. Concentrate all your energy on getting me answers."

"Yes, Ma'am, but what about my other missions?" he raised a single eyebrow, trying to hide his excitement. Will had worked for GJ for a number of years and thought the added responsibility was threatening to make him glow with pride. However, doing so would be a bit more unprofessional than he would allow, so Will contained himself.

"From this point forward, you _have_ no other missions, Agent Du," Betty met the shocked widening of Will's eyes with her unwavering single onyx orb. "No arguments, Du, I _want_ that evil plot and I want it yesterday. As for you, Dr. Drakken." Betty grinned slightly, knowing her orders would be looked upon as the plague by the blue skinned scientists and a blessing by his young ward. "You and Shego are officially being put on stand by; if Scarlet so much as sneezes, the two of you will be on a jet to get the tissue."

"Doctor Director," Drakken scowled, looking to take a step towards his irksome boss but stopping once he noted the protective gleam in Will's eyes and the subtle shift in the younger man's stance. He was still sore and even _thinking_ about another physical altercation had him aching. Instead, coal black orbs met the single onyx and he growled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you upgrading her to Agent status?"

Betty regarded the scientist a long moment, weighing her options, before replying. "No, Doctor Drakken. If Shego can capture Scarlet, _then_ she'll be promoted. As it stands, she's still a ward of Global Justice and agent-in-training."

"Of course she is," Drakken rolled his eyes and sighed, passing a hand over his face. If he wanted anything to go right, he would have to ask as politely as he could muster. Truly, Drakken had little against Dr. Director, but sometimes the woman made him wish he'd never taken her offer all those years ago. "Might I at least get clearance for her to use her plasma powers while on these missions?"

Betty blinked. The question itself wasn't so surprising to the brunette- Drakken or Shego would ask for the girl's powers to be taken off restriction every week it seemed- but, considering the situation, it certainly prompted further investigation. "Agent Du, you are dismissed. Report back when you have found something on WEE's plans."

"... yes, Ma'am," Will mumbled, turning on heel to leave the office. While it annoyed him that he was not privy to the conversation and being dismissed, he was more upset that Scarlet- whom he viewed as his own personal nemesis- was being handed over to a scientist and a super powered brat. Once he stepped out into the hall, Will was confronted with the super powered brat herself, sitting in a near by chair and looking a bit tired.

Shego wasn't as tired as she looked though; she was focused in thought. Her mind was divided in two, each competing for her full attention. Half of her was processing the events of her first mission- the mistakes, on her part and Drakken's, and thinking of ways to improve, to get better, as a fighter and as an agent. The other half, though, was lingering on Scarlet herself- the way the older woman moved, the sparkle in those olive orbs, her teasing voice and light laugh, and, most importantly, the kiss. For perhaps the hundredth time since it happened, Shego touched the center of her forehead, remembering the feel of those soft lips.

Having spent every day she could remember at the Global Justice Central Headquarters, Shego had never experienced such... affection? Was that what the kiss was, a display of affection? The teen hardly knew and was a bit afraid to ask; it took everything in her to refrain from admitting to either. Showing any sign that the mission got to her might make Drakken or Dr. Director doubt her capabilities as an Agent. That was the _last_ thing she wanted.

[BREAK!]

"Are you certain she can even control her powers?" Betty's single eye glinted, remembering vividly the heat of Shego's plasma. While the girl hadn't attempted to attack anyone in years, the brunette still doubted the teen had learned enough self control not to fry someone the first chance she got.

"She's become remarkably precise with her concentrated shots. When she's flustered or angry, the control is noteably less but the power is increased; her plasma seems to have the unique ability to morph between concussive, physical blasts and a super heated laser," Drakken nearly quoted his latest report verbatim, eyes rolling towards the cieling as he tried to remember all he had gathered from Shego's latest rounds of testing.

"I'm not asking for an analysis of the power itself, Dr. Drakken," Betty cut in, nearly glaring at the blue skinned scientist. She had read the file at least twenty times already and knew, from a scientific standpoint, that the teen's powers were far more stable than they were initially projected to be. However, as they largely depended on the girl's emotional and mental state, the question she asked couldn't be answered by anything in that file. "Can Shego maintain the concentration to keep her powers from hurting anyone?"

For a moment, Drakken was silent. While he had carefully worded his report of the mission to exclude what he saw of the fighting, the scientist knew his ward was more than flustered by Kim's actions. Whether it was due to the redhead's flirtateous manner or the fighting itself, he wasn't quite sure; either way, if he admitted even that much, Betty wouldn't approve of Shego using her powers at all. Now, he had quite the ethical decision before him.

Though the teen aggravated him to no end on most days, Dr. Drakken had started thinking of the green tinged teen as his own daughter, someone for him to look after because he _wanted_ to, not just because it was his job. As such, he wanted Shego to be able to use her powers, to fully realize who she was and not have to keep everything bottled up. But deep down, he _knew_ she wasn't ready, especially when Kim could get under the teen's skin so easily; Drakken couldn't think of a single instance during a combat simulation when Shego blanked on her surroundings, yet she'd nearly stepped off a roof because she wasn't paying attention!

"Dr. Drakken, I need an answer," Betty sat back in her chair while watching the agent, chalking up his hesitation to waging between his assessment as a scientist and his beliefs as a field agent. "Is the kid ready to use her powers?"

[BREAK!]

"You should probably get some rest," Will broke Shego's internal debate with a gruff tone. No way the little runt managed to fend off Scarlet; Will himself had fought the young woman several times during the five years he'd spent chasing her. If _he_ couldn't beat the redhead, there was no way the teen managed to hold her own as Drakken claimed. "You look like hell."

"Look who's talking," Shego barely hesitated in her response. While she rarely got along with the field agents- mostly because they always seemed very intent on reminding her she _wasn't_ one yet- Agent Will Du managed to claim the top spot on her list of least liked agents. Distracted as she was, Shego had no problem putting aside her own thoughts to verbally combat the young man. "Isn't there someone else for you to annoy?"

"You shouldn't get a big head from one mission," Will warned, trying his hardest not to think of the runt as, well, a runt. As he wasn't privy to the specifics of her presence at Global Justice, Will could only see her as a child the rest of the staff had to tolerate until she was either emancipated from their custody or became an agent herself. He secretly counted down the days to the first and dreaded the second. "You didn't even catch Scarlet."

"I got a lot closer than you ever did! She didn't get away with the statue!" Shego instantly fired back, a condifent smirk on her lips as Will frowned. "I did my research; if you ever did get within arm's reach, she kicked your ass."

Will frowned deeply, wanting to wipe that smirk off the girl's face. However, he had very little to refute her assertion; ever time he went against Scarlet, the redheaded thief seemed to thrash him with ease. She was kind about it- he rarely left with anything worse than cracked ribs, a few fractures, and a deeply wounded ego- but he was still soundly defeated at every turn. Still, up until today, he was the closest any agent ever came to catching the elusive thief.

"What? Don't you have more 'words of wisdom' for me to ignore?" Shego taunted, folding her arms across her chest. A small voice in her head was wondering where this snarky side of hers was when facing Scarlet, but she ignored it. If Scarlet was _anything_ like Will, the woman would've been caught ages ago.

Will opened his mouth, not quite sure what he was going to say, but stopped himself. The argument- if one could call it that- was pointless and he had more important matters to attend to anyway. "Just try not to get yourself killed, Runt."

Shego scowled at the nickname, gritting her teeth as the raven haired man continued down the hall. Oh, how she hated him! She wasn't just some kid! What would it take for people to _get_ that?

"Shego!" Drakken called, bringing the teen's attention to him instantly. The scientist was standing by the door to Doctor Director's office and, upon noting Shego's attention, began limping down the hall, heading towards his lab. The teen popped up from her seat and rushed after him, falling into step beside her mentor. She usually had to lengthen her strides to keep up with him but, as he was a bit hobbled, she managed just fine with her usual gait. "You didn't start anything with Agent Du again, did you?"

"_He_ started it," Shego mumbled, glancing behind her as if daring the young man to show his face. When she confirmed the agent in question was nowhere to be seen, Shego turned her emerald eyes on her mentor. "So, what did Dr. Director say?"

"Shego, what have I told you about patience?" Drakken chided, keeping his eyes ahead of him. He learned early in his career that, if one didn't watch the path ahead, people appeared out of nowhere to provide obstacles, _especially_ in the hallways surrounding Dr. Director's office.

Shego smirked up at the blue skinned scientist. "That I'll never have any."

[BREAK!]

Kim jumped out of the harrier jet the moment it touched down, landing lightly on her feet. Stretching her arms above her head, the redhead started towards the living space of their rather swank abode, leaving Ron to tend to the jet. She already knew what awaited her, as the suspicious lack of further questions from her best friend suggested that she was going to be interrogated by her entire team once they returned to their base of operations. It didn't bother her too much though; it wouldn't be the first time her friends felt obligated to question her choices.

A door opened for her, automatically granting access to the spacious living space she shared with the majority of her team. While they came and went as they pleased, Kim only left her home to go out on her 'expiditions'. Kim was fine with her self imposed exile; she'd seen enough of the world in her younger days. The hallways were decorated with classic paintings from around the globe, little nooks displayed sculptures and historical pieces from every continent and time period, and the centerpiece for every room was one of her greater scores, ranging from clay soldiers from China to a sarcophogus from Egypt to one of Elvis' guitars from Graceland.

The Dining room, however, had three autographed football helmets at the center of the table, proudly displaying the signatures from star players of the Philedelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and Oakland Raiders. With a smile, Kim nodded to the three assembled in the unofficial meeting room- two physically present while the third was on the video screen at the far end of the room- and claimed a seat. While no one really approved of Kim choice to become an international thief, they stuck by her no matter what, helping when and where they could. Most of that help came in the form of occassional scoldings whenever she came too close to capture. As usual, they waited until Ron arrived before starting their inquisition, giving the redhead ample opportunity to guage her team's moods.

Monique, obviously, was a bit miffed about the whole situation. There was a hard set to her jaw and a coldness to her eyes that meant she was in 'business woman' mode. As a well established fashion expert and a freelance art columnist, Kim's best friend- second only to Ron- from high school made a good living on the legitimate side of the law, only dabbling in the criminal portion at Kim's request. She often helped Kim with disguises for heists, having an extensive wardrobe collection as well as versed in the best ways to blend in almost anywhere in the world. Occassionally, Kim would use her friend's occupation as a cover, disguising herself as one of Monique's interns to get access to museum exhibits ahead of their official opening, picking out pieces she wanted and assessing the security systems while she was at it. It was rare but it happened enough that Monique worried her friend would get busted from the risks she took.

Yori, on quite the other hand, seemed more confused than anything. A young kunoichi from some ninja school in Japan that Ron was on good terms with, Yori specialized in stealth and combat, making her the perfect sparring partner, as well as a more than capable accomplice if the need arose. The young ninja had far less reservations about Kim's chosen lifestyle, provided the thief didn't attempt to steal anything of worth to the Yamanouchi ninja clan. It had come up in the past but the redhead hadn't made the same mistake since. Even Ron had joined in the fight on that one; apparently, the Lotus Blade was a bigger deal than Kim had originally believed.

Kim finally moved on to the vid screen, where Wade sat at his usual spot, typing furiously on his computer. Of her friends, Wade had changed the most, mostly because he was still a young boy when they first teamed up. It seemed like ages ago, when the boy was a portly, agoraphobic technological wizard who provided Kim with all sorts of information. He had thinned over the years as his metabolism kicked into high gear, puberty lending a deeper, richer tone to his voice as he grew, and there was even the soft shading to his jaw line that hinted at his beard starting to grow. As he operated outside of the law on occassion, Wade was perhaps the most supportive of Kim's friends and continued to supply her with information and gadgets. Though he seemed completely intent on whatever he was looking for, the telltale signs of shock and concern were poorly hidden by the teen.

"Alright, I'm here, let the mayhem commence!" Ron announced, practically bounding to his chair and settling in, flashing the redhead a quick smile. "Who wants to go first?"

"_I_ do," Monique instantly spoke up, turning those cold, businesslike eyes on Kim. Years ago, the piercing gaze might have startled Kim into feeling a little bad about giving up the Ra statuette when she could've easily made a clean getaway. That was then, however, and Kim had learned that playing with Global Justice agents was far more amusing. Especially when said agent was a cute girl who looked absolutely adorable when she blushed, not to mention fought pretty well for being just a kid. "Kim, just what were you _thinking_?"

"That the kid was cute," Kim instantly replied, a grin to her lips. Monique rolled her eyes while Ron and Yori tried their hardest to hide their laughs. Wade was also not amused.

"Kim, we're being serious here," Wade chimed in, diverting his attention from the computer screens to the assembled young adults. "We've had plenty of scares over the years, Kim, but this one takes the cake! You've _never _given up a score just before making your escape!"

"Yes, Kim-san, this is most perplexing," Yori shook her head slightly, as if to clear it of the confusion plaguing her mind. "What prompted you to depart without the Ra statue?"

"Guys, it really is as simple as it seems," Kim explained, reaching behind her to flip her braid over her shoulder. To the redhead, it truly was as simple as that: she thought the kid was cute and deserved a reward for being a halfway decent match. While part of her knew exactly what the issue her friends seemed so intent on was, the overwhelming majority thought they were completely overreacting. "She was cute, she put up a good fight, and, well, she was cute! No big."

Monique, Wade, and Yori looked to Ron, as if expecting the blond to chime in with some sort of insight. Rather than address their concerns, chestnut eyes turned to meet olive, a small smile on his face. "KP, we're just concerned. You know what would happen if you got caught-"

"In all honesty, we really don't," Kim cut in, frowning for the first time since dealing with Mr. Lipsky. She had an idea- as they all did- but it simply wasn't something she was considering. She wasn't going to be captured and somehow tricked or forced back into the hero gig. That part of her was dead and gone. "But, for argument's sake, let's say we do; I'm not letting the kid catch me. She's cute, and maybe I'll have some fun with her, but I'm not going to get captured." The redhead mulled over her thoughts before putting them to voice. "If you're really concerned about me turning myself in, you shouldn't. I have no intentions of doing that."

[BREAK!]

Shego sighed, staring at the white, unadorned cieling of her likewise unadorned room while laying on her bed, which was actually a cot mounted on the wall. It felt more like someone had taken a holding cell and labelled it her bedroom than anything else but the teenager didn't complain. Well, she didn't complain often; every now and then, when there was nothing else for her to pester Drakken with, she would bring up her crappy room. He would always remind her that some people didn't have rooms at all and she could always take up residence in the nearest janitorial closet if she wanted. Whether it was an honest suggestion or a joke, Shego was never certain and didn't bother asking. She had a computer, a bed, and a mini fridge, three things she determined early on to be life necessities. She would've liked her own bathroom too, especially once she hit puberty, but it was just another thing to torment her mentor with now.

Drakken had already imparted on her the 'good' news that the duo would be on stand-by status for any and all of Scarlet's heists. Hearing that only reaffirmed Shego's belief that she simply _had_ to do better the next go, to prove to everyone at Global Justice and Scarlet herself that she wasn't just some kid. However, being reminded that her plasma was still on restriction had put a hamper on her good mood.

Shego couldn't remember much of her younger days. She had brief flashes from time to time but nothing that really constituted memories. Most of what she knew came from the facts found in her file- the one Drakken kept and rarely minded when she read. Her plasma power came from a comet and it was very unstable when she was younger, tied to her emotions. It still was but age and training had helped refine it, control it, and put it to much better use during the combat tests and such that she was subjected to on a regular basis. From what she could tell, it had even grown, as she did, but it was deemed too dangerous for whatever reasons. Shego was certain her age had something to do with it, which only added fuel to her anger when someone insisted on looking at her like a child.

The teen lifted her hand and set it aflame, the green plasma dancing around her palm. It was a low enough output that no one would be too bothered by it; as long as she refrained from powerful blasts or superheating anything, none of the alarms would go off. This particular flame was just for show, emitting very little heat at all. It was comforting to the girl. It was almost like a promise.

"I'm going to catch you, Scarlet," Shego whispered to the flames before forming a fist to snuff them out, determination glinting in her emerald orbs. "Just you wait."

[BREAK!]

Monique sighed, preparing to retire for the night. She had only stayed at Kim's little base to see how the mission went; she was always especially interested whenever Kim used her position as a columnist to scope out a museum. Wade had signed off a while ago, about the time Kim had opted to end their little meeting by retiring to her room for a shower and some well deserved rest. Ron, Yori, and Monique had stayed up talking things out, expressing their concerns about their friend.

None of them were worried about Kim handing herself over to Global Justice. That simply wasn't an option in their minds, considering the redhead's history with the group. No, what they truly feared was the shift in Kim's usual behavior. Granted, the agent Kim faced was just a teenager, obviously no match for the fighting fit thief, but that she didn't even _attempt_ to hurt the kid worried them.

"I don't think she's interested in taking on an apprentice, Mo," Ron had repeated the line several times since the three had started their discussion. He had watched the fight firsthand and knew that Kim saw a little of herself in the young agent. Hearing Kim affirm that she might only have a bit of a soft spot for the girl because 'she's cute' did nothing to settle the concern though.

"IDK, Ron. It's not good for her to get _interested _in the first place," Monique shook her head and sighed again. "What if she decides the kid shouldn't be with GJ?"

"I do not believe Kim-san is the kind of person to resort to kidnapping," Yori chimed in, a small smile on her lips. If nothing else, now that she understood Kim was most likely infatuated with the young agent on some level, the kunoichi found the ordeal a bit amusing. Yori had trained several young ninjas back home and could relate to the thrill of finding a young opponent with potential. It was not a feeling she could accurately translate though. "She is honorable, even in her profession as a thief. We need not fear her, as you say, 'going further down the rabbit hole'."

"Yori's got it," Ron shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "Besides, if anything, this kid might actually convince Kim to give up being a thief. Maybe she'll eventually wind up in over her head and she'll just retire. Maybe the kid will bring Kim back to life."

"Or maybe Kim will decide to up her game to keep the kid's interest," Monique pointed out. "You know I love the girl to death but Kim's starting to take risks, big ones. IMO, if she doesn't let up, they might decide to put her down."

"I doubt things will come to that," Ron passed a hand over his face, ruffling his short blond hair a bit. "Actually, I _hope_ it won't come to that."

"We share that hope, Ron-kun."

[BREAK!]

Drakken, alone in his lab, waited for the other end of the line to respond before saying anything further. The call had gone as usual except for the last part, the part where he imparted the information that he would be responding to every mission regarding 'Scarlet' that GJ had. He had anticipated the silence but it was starting to unnerve him; these conversations rarely went well, in his opinion.

"What will they do when you catch her?" the voice at the other end of the line suddenly spoke, nearly startling the blue skinned scientist.

"I don't know, James. If Dr. Director knows what happened to Kim, she's not telling anyone. I've never heard her mention jail but I would assume that's where she'd end up," Drakken tried his hardest not to sound so final about it but he rarely succeeded. There was a brief pause before his friend spoke again.

"She's a good girl, Drew."

"I know, James, I know. I don't know why she's doing this but... I know she's still a good person," Drakken reassured his friend, James Possible, Kim's father. Though they had quite the disagreement in their college days, they reconciled about the time Drakken joined up with Global Justice. Kim was still at home then, a kind teenager who enjoyed helping people and was very intent on becoming a cheerleader for her middle school. He _knew_ the girl, just as he knew how every mission chasing the elusive thief would probably go for him. His bruises smarted at the very thought. "She's still your little girl."

"She is." There was a brief pause, then a sigh. "Please, Drew, try to bring my Kimmie-cub back home. We miss her."

"I'll let her know next time I see her, James," Drakken had to force back a laugh at that. He would have to sneak the message in between confronting her and getting his butt kicked, again. "Give my regards to Anne and the twins."

"Of course. Oh, and Drew?"

"Yeah?"

"Take care of yourself, too. And Shego. She sounds like a fine young woman."

"If by 'fine young woman' you mean 'energetic whirlwind of complaints and chaos', then I suppose she is," Drakken did laugh that time, with James joining in.

"Yup, sounds like a teenager alright. Just wait until she gets into boys." Drakken didn't need to see his face to know James was frowning.

"She's far too interested in 'Scarlet' and becoming a full fledged agent to even notice anything else. But, I will be sure to keep an eye out for any strange boys sneaking around."

"I'll keep one of our deep space probes on deck, just in case." The rocket scientist quipped. The two talked for a bit longer before the conversation ended, leaving Drakken completely worn out from the events. He already knew Shego would be intensifying her training now that she knew she would be facing Scarlet again, which just meant more of her attitude when he would try to force her to rest. While he wasn't looking forward to it, the thought that maybe the teen could either subdue the redhead or put her off her current career path gave him some hope. For Kim's and Shego's sake.

Next Time: Their Target in sight, Dr. D and Shego prepare to face off again Scarlet! Stay tuned for Chapter 3: Round Two!

Author's Note: Okay, I'll be honest, while I _did_ have a plot penned out for this particular story, I _really_ didn't think anyone would be interested in seeing it, so I was going to leave it as a one shot. However, since some people seemed interested in the concept, I guess I'll run with it! I will warn that the next update might take a while- check my profile for a list of some of the things I got going- but it will be up as soon as possible.

Also, I did some searching and found this: .com/art/Kigo-junior-adventures-94578433. It's another KiGo based off _Younger and Older_. Seems I wasn't the only one to get the 'Indiana Jones' vibe from Older Kimmie!


	3. Round Two!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kim Possible or any characters from the show. Sad Panda Face.

Chapter 3: Round Two!

Though he'd been at it for three hours already, Will Du read the e-mail again. The lines mocked him, hiding the truth while being as obvious as possible, frustrating the seasoned agent beyond words. This was his chance to bring down Global Justice's sworn enemy, the Worlwide Evil Empire, if only he could piece together the puzzle. There were many questions, but the six that never changed were driving him mad because he had half the answer. The who, what, and why were simple: the organization was run by none other than Dr. Director's twin brother, who called himself 'Gemini' for whatever reason, and he knew the plot somehow involved destroying the agency his sister spent her entire adult life building. But the when, where and how continued to elude him, no matter how many times he poured over the information.

"My friends, I am happy to inform you that the first phase of my ingeneous plot is complete," Will read, mumbling the words to himself in a vain hope of understanding them. "With great pride, I announce that we are moving onto the second phase, which will entail the help of experts in fields as varied as they are important to our ultimate goal." He ran a hand through his jet black hair. "All our resources are now devoted to tracking down and persuading these experts, bringing them in line for the glorious visions I have of the future world, one where our villoneous geniuses shall not only be accepted, they shall be honored on the highest pedistal for all mankind to witness." There was that word again. "With our efforts so devotedly focused, I have no doubt that phase two will be completed soon, allowing us to move forward, bringing the pieces together that we might strike down our enemies without hesitation. Join me, my fellow villains, that we might revel in the coming light together. Contact information and applications to join the Worldwide Empire of Evil are attached to this mail. I shall keep you informed of my progress but know that those who fail to come aboard will be considered enemies in due time and, thus, shall be dealt with in like manner to those who wish to oppose the WEE." Will sat back and sighed, knowing the last line by heart. It ended every e-mail he recieved from his contact. "With best regards, the future Overlord of Evil, Gemini."

It was there, Will was certain, hiding between the lines and laughing at his inability to understand it. What did it all mean? What was Gemini plotting? How could it be stopped? Dr. Director was counting on him for answers and he had none. At times, he almost wished he could go back to the easy cases, to the simple missions where he showed up and nabbed the bad guy like it was a Hollywood movie. That's how most of his missions went, anyway, with the one, constant exception.

"I wonder how the Runt is doing," Will mumbled, looking to distract himself in hopes of an epiphany sneaking up on him like an assassin. He sat for hours, though, exactly where he began: clueless.

[BREAK!]

"You know, this is actually a very good idea," Dr. Drakken whispered to himself, peering through the small eye slit of the faux sarcophogus the guards stood up on the far side of the exhibit, directly across from the statuettes. While his teen ward had devoted most of her time to the combat simulators and memorizing the museum's floor plan, she had also provided a few ideas on how to get the drop on their elusive target. It would never have worked before- unless Dr. Director wished to devote her entire workforce to hiding in various exhibits across the globe- but, knowing where Scarlet would strike, as well as a good idea of when, why not beat the thief to the prize?

The green tinted teen herself was hidden much closer to the statuettes and higher, her smaller form allowing Shego to hide in the ventilation shaft above the statuettes. The space was cramped, even for her small frame, but it served its purpose: if Scarlet attempted to drop in on the exhibit, Shego was blocking the way. It was Drakken's idea, though, and for a more practical reason that he chose not to tell her about- the constant cool air kept her body heat down which, he thought, would help keep her calm. The teen herself, however, hated the idea. She was anxious for a rematch and the tight confines did nothing to ease that anxiety.

"If she comes up behind me and starts talking about my butt, I might seriously fry her," Shego grumbled to herself, a scowl set in place while she tried to beat down the blush creeping into her cheeks. Over the past few days, she had decided that the only way she was going to keep from getting flustered around Scarlet was to be continuously angry. Badmouthing the redhead whenever possible seemed like the easiest way to direct all that anger, which included her typical threats of plasma frying. "And she better not call me 'cute' again."

Except for the occassional grumbling from Shego or whispered comment from Drakken, the museum was deadly silent. The usual night crew- plus a full SWAT team- was staged in their little break room, intently watching their monitors for any signs of forced entry. They were more than ready for the thief when she did show up, though most were a bit wary about facing off against the one and only Scarlet.

[BREAK!]

"Uh, KP, maybe we should just turn back," Ron offered after Wade finished with his preliminary scanning of the museum. With two heat signatures in the exhibit room, plus more than any museum would put on the night shift in a small room to the east, it was obvious that a trap was laid out for Kim, banking on the redhead's promise of returning for the statuettes. "This looks way too risky."

"Looks can be decieving, Ron," Kim giggled, noticing that one heat signature was a higher temperature than the rest. It was interesting, to say the least. "Why do you think this one is higher than the rest?"

"You're asking me?" Ron turned his head slightly, though not enough to distort his views of the jet's controls. Rufus, being the faithful friend and pet, hopped up on Ron's shoulder to watch the redhead critically, his tiny arms crossing over his chest. He was just as concerned as his master, though he couldn't vocalize those concerns nearly as well. "Seriously, KP, we gotta turn around."

"Oh, come on, Ron, it would be rude not to show up, especially since they have a welcoming party all laid out for me!" Kim smiled wildly, leaning forward in her seat as every muscle quivered with anticipation. While she was looking forward to seeing Shego again, the challenge before her was so tantalizing it was impossible to ignore. "You know I haven't had a good challenge in a _long_ while."

"Well, yeah, but are you really thinking this through?" Ron sighed, knowing just by the tone of her voice that his best friend wasn't going to back down. With Monique's worries still echoing in his head, the blond figured he'd make certain of his best friend's intentions before going any further. "Kim, why are you doing this?"

"Could you be a little more specific please?" Kim furrowed her brows, nearly scowling at the back of Ron's headrest. "You _know_ why I'm stealing."

"Yeah, and I get it, even _support_ it, KP. I _am_ your get-away driver, after all," Ron pointed out, hoping to keep the redhead from getting too worked up. An angry thief was, often times, a careless one. "But you don't want to get caught, right? Are you really going to walk into an obvious trap because of some cute little kid?"

"She's not a kid, Ron, and Shego's got skill, she's just unrefined. But, I will admit, she _is_ ferociously cute," Kim allowed herself a small smile before continuing in a serious tone. "I know the way Director works; Shego's somewhere in that museum to bait me into coming, and that's fine. She'll only get better if there's someone to push her. No one at Global Justice is even on my level; she _needs_ me-"

"To do what, Kim? Set her free?" Ron cut her off, staring straight ahead as the words left his mouth. He was certain, were they looking each other in the eye, she would've either tried to punch him or just glared at him until he flinched.

"No," Kim forcefully replied, gritting her teeth even as her fists clenched, her knuckles turning white. It took the redhead a moment to calm down, taking deep breaths to temper her anger. "I just want to see her get better. What she does with her life is her decision, just as my little vendetta is mine."

Ron nodded, though Kim couldn't see the movement, and allowed silence to reign for the moment. They still had a good ten minutes to go before reaching the museum. That brought about a good question though. "Hey, are we still going with the rooftop access?"

"Hmmm, I don't think so," Kim's anger subsided as a little wicked smile claimed her lips as she scanned the museum schematic again. "I've got a better idea."

[BREAK!]

"Shouldn't she be here by now?" Shego grumbled to herself, shifting ever so slightly in the uncomfortable ventilation shaft. Why someone would willingly crawl through the tiny space for any reason would forever escape her. Glancing at her watch- only to find that barely a minute had passed- only served to frustrate the impatient teen even further. "She should be here. Where is she?"

Down below, in his sarcophogus, Drakken was wondering the same thing. As the leading expert on Scarlet, he'd already compiled the extensive list of her crimes and determined the time windows she aimed for, a telltale pattern she never changed. It provided a little variation- by days or hours- but she was predictable, probably to entice someone into actually capturing her. That she appeared to be running late was worrisome; he wasn't looking forward to chasing the redhead across the globe. He barely wanted to chase her this far, and that was more for James' sake than anything else.

A few more seconds ticked by in silence before a soft thud, shattering glass, and blaring alarm drowned out nearly everything. Shego had to cover her ears, the sound reverberating through the shaft and sounding infinitely times louder than it really was. She instantly recognized the noise as the museum's standard alarm, meaning the perimeter had been breached somewhere. Though every fiber of her being wanted to drop down and find that woman, Shego held her ground and waited, as Drakken had instructed her. He said she might try to distract the night crew by setting off the alarm, that they would wait in the exhibit room until the coast was completely clear or the redheaded thief showed.

Shego prayed for the latter; she wanted her second shot at Scarlet so bad, it had nearly become an obsession. The minutes ticked by, the alarm still sounding, until all was suddenly quiet within the museum. Too quiet- no shouts from the guards ensuring the scene was safe, no beeps from the alarm resetting itself, and no tromping of heavy boots to signal the SWAT team's movement. Absolutely nothing.

"You've gotta be kidding me," the teen grit her teeth in annoyance, scowling down on the room through the grate. "Where the hell is she?"

"Hmmm, that was odd," Drakken scratched his chin, peering out as best he could through the slit. He contemplated breaking his cover to go check on the night crew but stopped when he heard the soft tapping of boot heels. Not half a minute later, the footfalls stopped, a low whistle- almost a catcall- resounding through the exhibit hall.

"Come on out, Sweetheart, I know you're here," Scarlet called out, taking a few more steps inside the hall. A quick glance confirmed her suspicions; her cute little opponent was in hiding. In her mind's eye, the thief could see the heat signatures and their locations within the exhibit hall. Clasping her hands behind her back, Scarlet started to walk lesiurely around the exhibit, stopping to admire one object or another, all the while calling out to her target and avoiding the areas she recalled seeing the signatures. "Oly-oly-oxen-free, Babydoll! You aren't going to disappoint me, are you?"

Shego watched from the ventilation shaft, all the while telling herself to keep calm and quiet, practically chanting the words in her head like a mantra. She was more than ready to answer Scarlet's call and face the woman again, but the redhead was too far away for her to get a good drop on the thief. The waiting was tough though; it was driving the teen absolutely crazy!

"You know, it's cruel to keep a woman waiting like this, Sweetie. I come _all_ this way, _just_ to see you, I use the front door and greet _all_ the guests you lined up for me, and what do I have to show for it? Nothing!" Scarlet turned her olive orbs up to the ceiling, catching sight of a ventilation duct and smiling. It was in the approximate position of one of the signatures and she had crawled through enough of them during her crime fighting days to know it was possible; it would be quite the poetic justice for her sweet little adversary to be hidden up there, she thought. With a melodramatic sigh and a 'tsk', the thief turned on heel, her braid swaying slightly behind her. "Such terrible manners."

"She knows!" Shego hissed quietly the moment Scarlet looked at the grate. Though she didn't notice it herself, the teen held her breath until Scarlet averted her gaze elsewhere, letting out a sigh of relief that the thief hadn't acted like she knew. Deep down, though, the young agent knew she was outed and quickly improvised.

The screech of metal had Scarlet jumping clear long before the grate hit the museum floor, the young woman hitting the ground in a roll and instantly righting herself in a defensive position. To her delight, Shego was dropping from the ventilation duct, landing as gracefully as a cat while wearing a stern expression the redhead didn't care for in the least. How was she going to have fun with the teen glaring at her like that? It simply had to be changed.

"Ya know, with an entrance like that, I think I'll start calling you 'Angel'," Scarlet grinned, pleased to see the blush she adored work its way into the teen's cheeks. The glare was still there but it was breaking, giving way to the flustered teen the redhead wanted to see. "Yeah, I like the ring of it. My _sweet_ little Angel."

"Scarlet! By the authority of Global Justice, I hereby place you under arrest for the larceny of government, public, and private property in seven countries," Shego called out, absolutely elated her voice didn't falter. If she could just keep herself focused, the teen was certain she'd overcome Scarlet quickly. She'd trained for days just for this fight; she wasn't going to lose.

From where she stood, Scarlet could see determination glinting in those emerald eyes and part of her had to be at least a little proud. The other part, however, wanted to see that adorable blush she enjoyed so much. "Tell me, Angel, does that little list of yours include me stealing your heart, or is that just 'attempted larceny' as of right now?"

"I- You- What!" Shego visibly pulled back, her face falling as a furious blush worked into her cheeks. In a flash, the determination was replaced by confusion and Scarlet had to fight to keep from laughing out loud. It seemed her sweet little agent had a long way to go still. That just made things more exciting as far as the redhead was concerned.

"No, no, no, Shego," Scarlet gave a lewd wink, leaning forward slightly without losing her defensive posture. "It's 'you, me, now' but I guess it depends on where, exactly, you want me."

"In cuffs!" Shego growled, putting half her energy into fighting her embarrassment with anger and the other half into not igniting her hands. At that moment, she didn't know who she wanted to fry more: Scarlet, for making her blush, _again_, or Dr. Director, for not allowing her to light up in the first place!

Deciding to put her anger to more practical uses, Shego launched on the offensive, swiping angrily at the infuriating redhead. Though it had only been a few days of intensive training, the teen pressing the thief a little harder than when they first met. With a wide grin, Scarlet blocked every blow sent her way, guaging her opponent's progress. The anger made her impulsive- Shego was taking any shot she could manage- but it lent a noticeable strength to her strikes. Nothing Scarlet couldn't handle, of course. Still, it was promising.

They danced across the exhibit, solely fixed on each other. After two solid minutes of blocking, Scarlet lashed out with a palm strike, easily knocking the teen in the chest. As Shego struggled to keep from falling on her rear, the redhead chuckled.

"Anger is great for brute strength, Angel," the thief chided, a wide smile on her lips. "But you _have_ to remember to play defense. Otherwise, you'll just wear yourself out."

"Like I need advice from a criminal!" Shego growled, stepping up to start their dance again. Though she would never admit it aloud, the teen did take the comment to heart. When Scarlet again tried to strike her, the blow was knocked aside even as a counterstrike came in, aiming for the thief's chin. It missed, sailing through air as Scarlet bent over backwards, planted her palms on the floor and sharply lifted her leg. The limb struck Shego's side with surprising force, knocking the teen aside and to the ground. Rolling over, Shego just stared at the thief as she righted herself with ease, that infuriating smile still gracing her lips. "How'd you-"

"It's called 'flexibility', Sweetheart," Scarlet laughed as she rolled her shoulders. "You'll need a lot more training if you want to move like me. I suggest cheerleading; you'd look _spankin'_ in the right outfit." Rolling her neck once, the redheaded thief settled into her defensive stance, making a 'come get me' motion with one hand. "Well, what're you waiting for, Angel? A _written_ invitation?"

With a growl in her throat, Shego scrambled to her feet and glared daggers at the woman before her. She could feel the blush staining her cheeks, anger and embarrassment fighting for dominance over her mind, but tried to ignore it. She needed to _focus. _Settling once more into her stance, the teen regarded the thief a moment before launching a new offensive.

Silently, Scarlet had to praise Shego's detemination and adaptability. When she had first started seriously fighting, the thief- then hero- had known at least sixteen styles of martial arts. Hardly a training regimine Global Justice authorized for their greener recruits. Even so, the teen was adapting well, learning with every block. It was... promising.

The world around them narrowed as they fought, the rest of the exhibit melting away as they continued their dance. The teen couldn't help but grin as she managed to sneak through Scarlet's defenses and tag her a few times, one of which earned a small grunt. Perhaps she wasn't the most practiced fighter, but she was starting to find her own style, one that mixed raw strength with grace and finesse. However, the moment it looked like Shego was gaining some footing against the thief, Scarlet ramped things up a notch, switching to an offense that the teen could barely match. It was by complete surprise when Scarlet, rather than aim a punch at the teen's face like Shego anticipated, dropped down and landed a rather impressive sweeping kick, she knocked Shego's legs from under her. Just as Shego looked up at the smiling thief ready to impart more 'wisdom', another force knocked into the redhead, sending her sprawling.

Scarlet shook her head, blinking a few times. "Ugh, what the-"

"That's the problem with thinking you're 'all that', _Scarlet_," Dr. Drakken was frowning, which Shego expected from her mentor. What she hadn't expected, though, was the strange tone his voice had taken on when pronouncing the thief's name. It was almost as if the name itself was an insult or some form of profanity. "Eventually, someone's going to prove you wrong."

"Well, I can promise it _won't_ be you," Scarlet replied, rocking her body to perform a backwards roll, firmly planting her feet on the ground before launching forward at the blue skinned man. While Shego was outclassed by the thief's moves, Drakken was _sorely_ outclassed, and there was no restraint whatsoever. The teen actually winced when a particularly vicious uppercut connected with her mentor's jaw, sending the man reeling back.

As the redhead focused on the senior agent, Shego scrambled to her feet and launched at the redhead, going for a tackle while Scarlet was distracted. Unlike the first time she tried it, the sneak attack actually worked, bringing both of them crashing to the ground. Before she could do anything about it, Shego found herself in the thief's guard, muscled legs wrapped around her waist in a vice grip. Though she was certain enough pressure would cause her more pain than she could stand, Shego felt only enough to keep her from breaking free. Trapped as she was, the teen started using every trick she could think of to use some form of submission, wiggling out every time Scarlet managed to trap her.

"Hey, your ground work is, umf, pretty impressive," Scarlet grunted while rocking her hips to flip their positions, landing the teen on her back and knocking the wind out of her. It occured to her that she should tease the teen mercilessly about being pinned beneath her but she set it aside for the moment. "And here I thought your boxing packed a punch."

"Oh, you don't know the half of it," Shego smirked knowingly. If she could just light up, she'd show Scarlet just how _dangerous_ she could be. If only. Instead, the teen focused on mimicking the move Scarlet had used on her, rocking her hips enough to roll them back over. The moment she reared back to try and escape the redhead's guard, though, she noticed the wicked smile on those lips and the gleam in her beautiful olive orbs.

"Oh, I see. Maybe I should stop going easy on you then," Scarlet released her guard and pulled her knees to her chest, launching Shego up and over her into another section of the exhibit. As soon as the redhead regained her feet, however, Drakken was assaulting her with clumsy punches, enough of a distraction to keep her from focusing on the teen. To say she was getting annoyed with the interuptions was an understatement. Again, the thief abandoned the restraint she'd shown the teenager and began landing merciless blows on the blue skinned agent.

Meanwhile, Shego quickly righted herself and, realizing the danger her mentor faced, quickly joined in the fray, forcing Scarlet to fight two opponents at the same time. Even so, the redhead was clearly in control of the situation, though it forced her to dial down her attacks. While she had no problem unleashing her full strength on Drakken, the redhead sincerely didn't want one of her attacks to inadvertantly injure the teen.

The three continued their battle, with Drakken's clumsy attacks knocked aside or dodged while Shego slipped in to tag the redhead. There wasn't enough power behind the hits to really do much damage, but it was wearing Scarlet down. Suddenly, while the thief's attention was focused on blocking Drakken's lazy haymaker, Shego juked right before dropping down to deliver a sweeping kick that knocked Scarlet flat on her back with the Global Justice agents standing over her, all three panting heavily.

"It ends here, Scarlet," Shego smirked as Drakken reached for the cuffs at his belt. She did it! Albeit with help, but still! She defeated Scarlet!

For the briefest of moments, the redhead looked as though she _was_ defeated. Then, she gave a chuckle and shook her head, speaking in a singsong voice. "You spoke too soon, Angel."

Shego frowned. "What do you-"

Without warning, the teen was suddenly flying through the air, hitting the ground and rolling. When she looked up, Dr. Drakken was laid out on the ground with a blond man standing over him. The newcomer was about the size of Scarlet and dressed in a loose grey pilot's suit with gloves that hid his physique. The only distinct feature the teen could make out, besides his hair, were the freckles on his face that made him somehow appear younger than he probably was.

"Thought you could use a bit of help," the man chuckled while offering Scarlet a hand, his other holding both of the statuettes from the exhibit. Muddy brown eyes fell on Shego a brief moment before he winked at the thief. "Close up, she _is_ pretty cute."

"Back off, she's mine," Scarlet returned with a playful growl before blowing Shego a kiss. The blond rolled his eyes before shoving the statues into Scarlet's stomach. As she claimed them and secured the statuettes in her punch, there was something nagging at the back of the thief's mind but she couldn't, for the life of her, figure it out. With a shrug- chaulking it up to disappointment at claiming her secondary objective so soon- the readhead gave one last wink to her favorite GJ agent. "Guess the game's over. Sionara, Sweetheart!"

Scarlet and the blond turned and fled, leaving the Global Justice agents and the exhibit behind. The teen just stared after them a moment, trying to keep her anger under control. Just when she thought she'd won- BAM- _someone_ just swoops in and knocks her flat on her face. It was frustrating but, the teen argued, she'd done better this time. Improvement was always a good thing.

Shego eventually picked herself up and went to check on Drakken, who was unconscious and sporting some wicked bruises. Knowing full well she couldn't handle both Scarlet and the mysterious blond- and partially hating herself for it- the green teen settled herself down to wait for back-up. While she waited, Shego began replaying the fight in her head.

She'd have to work harder if she was going to match the thief any time within the next decade; for some reason she couldn't place, Scarlet was taking it easy on her. If the dark purple splotches on her mentor's face were any indication, the thief's full strength would probably put the teen in the infirmary- healing powers or no. Not only would she have to catch up to the thief, she'd have to _beat_ her, and without help. But how?

A few minutes later, the night shift guards and the SWAT team rushed into the room, apparently recovered- more or less- from their previous scuffle with Scarlet. All they found, though, was the green teen staring crytically at the space in front of her, seated next to the unconscious Global Justice agent.

"She got away with the statues?" The head night shift guard asked Shego as Drakken was loaded up on a stretcher. The teen smirked before turning to the man.

"Not exactly."

[BREAK!]

Kim smiled wildly, pulling one of the statuettes free from her pouch as the jet sped away. "Told ya, Ron, no big!"

"You came pretty close, KP," Ron, despite his chiding tone, was also smiling. When the ill feeling in his gut refused to abate after Kim went in, the young man had decided to at least keep an eye on his best friend from the shadows. Good thing he did. Watching Kim dance with Shego, even with Dr. Drakken's interference, was one of the most beautiful things he'd seen, and he meant that as much for Kim's prowess as Shego's. The girl was learning- that much was obvious- but she had a long way to go before she could match his best friend blow-for-blow. Still, there was an inate grace in her movements, like she'd been born to fight Kim. It was poetry in motion. "Next time, you should at least take some back up when you're going to be outnumbered like that."

"Is that an offer? We'd make a spankin' team again," Kim chuckled while turning over Osiris in her hand. Something _still_ didn't feel quite right, something about the weight, the texture. Something was off. And then, sharp olive eyes caught a glimmer of red, a small pull tab just behind the statue's head. Quirking a brow, Kim pulled it slowly, tearing through the treated, gray tin foil wrapper with ease and exposing the milk chocolate replicate, usually sold in the museum's gift shop. For a moment, the redhead just stared at the candy in her hand, her mind a complete blank. Then, she started laughing, worrying her friend, who couldn't see what she was doing behind him.

"Uh, you okay?"

"Perfectly fine, just feeling a bit foolish. Take a look," Kim reached up and gave Ron the chocolate statue, which promptly earned a squeal of joy from Rufus.

"Chocolate? Where'd ya get that?" Ron quirked a brow, breaking the statue in half and giving his pet the bigger portion. Behind him, Kim was turned in her seat to catch the last glimpses of the city fading away.

"From my clever, beautiful Angel,"Kim sighed, happily. This meant she had a for sure ticket to seeing Shego again. All in all, she felt like a winner. "She must've switched them before we even showed up."

"Huh, I _thought_ they felt funny," the blond mused, shrugging it off as he enjoyed the chocolate. Really, as he usually didn't handle the goods personally, it hadn't occured to him that something was too offf about the statuettes. Still, milk chocolate beat out boring stone _any_ day.

As Ron continued to pilot the jet, Kim felt herself sink into a state of mind she'd thought was lost to her. Her mind suddenly focused on her next heist with more clarity than usual, a hieghtened sense, what she used to call her 'mission mode'. It had always been so easy that she never truly put too much thought into her work; it was a simple process of wash, rinse, repeat. Now, though, it seemed like her teen agent was not only a better fighter than the majority of Global Justice, she was also resourceful and clever. If Kim wanted to steal the statuettes, she'd have to turn up her efforts. It was promising, to say the least.

"So you got away with nothing _again_?" a familiar voice chimed in from the jet's console. Ron and Kim looked at the center screen of their respective displays to see Wade, slightly shaking with silent laughter. "That makes you oh-for-two, huh Kim?"

"I like to see it as three-for-one," the redhead replied, counting off on her fingers. "I get a killer workout, a refreshing change of pace, and the nicest piece of eye candy in this hemisphere, all on one trip!"

Wade rolled his eyes while sipping on a soda. "Only _you_ could see nearly getting arrested as a glass half full."

"I try," Kim shrugged, earning a chuckle from both her friends. Suddenly, something at the back of her mind jumped to the forefront, demanding her attention. "Hey Wade, could you do me a favor?"

"Sure, Kim, what's up?" Wade arched a brow. "You aren't going to have me spy in on your little underaged crush, are you?"

"Geez, and here I thought _I_ was the pervert."

"Oh you are, KP," Ron threw in his two cents, a large smile on his lips. "Wade's just makin' sure you don't feel all alone in your perversion."

"Ha ha," Kim sarcastically laughed, rolling her eyes before focusing them on her techno wizard. "Is there any way you can dig up the four-one-one on Shego?"

"Looking for anything specific?" Wade asked even as his fingers started flying across his keyboards. Kim mulled the question over a moment before shrugging.

"I just want to... know her... about her... ya know?"

"Right, 'cause that doesn't sound creepy stalker-ish at all," Ron teased before sobering slightly. "Kim, if you're looking for some excuse-"

"I'm not," Kim cut him off bluntly before softening her tone. "I just want to know why she's there. She can't be much older than I was when..." Olive eyes flashed with anger as the redhead's tone grew bitter. "... when those jerks betrayed me."

Ron and Wade nodded, more to acknowledge Kim's anger than to agree to her statement. After a few more seconds of typing, the computer genius flashed Kim a sneaky grin. "Just sent my friends sniffing. Do you want me to hit you up when I get the info?"

"Please and thank you!" Kim chirped before the line went dead. Settling back into her seat, the redhead started thinking over her scuffle with the green toned teen. Deep down, she knew she'd over stepped her bounds with teasing the girl, but there was something about Shego blushing that just made Kim smile. Really, the teen was too cute for her own good. Perhaps for Kim's own good too, part of her conceded. It had nearly cost the thief her freedom, though that was mostly due to Mr. Lipsky's interference. Still, it was cutting things too close. Silently, she promised she would ease up on teasing her precious Angel and focus more on training her to be a better fighter.

At least, until the next time she wanted to see the teen blush. Then, the gloves were off!

[BREAK!]

"Ugh... why do I feel like I got hit by a metric ton of titanium?" Dr. Drakken grumbled as he tried to sit up but found his body very unwilling to comply. Opening his eyes proved he'd been moved to one of Global Justice's medical facilities, probably the small medical wing in Headquarters.

"You awake Dr. D?" Shego suddenly appeared in the senior agent's vision, having spent the past few hours sitting at her mentor's bedside, waiting for him to awaken. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Depends on your definition of 'okay', Shego," Drakken honestly replied and winced when his head throbbed. At the moment, he didn't even feel he had the energy to massage his aching head. The thought of all the paperwork awaiting him just made his head hurt worse. "Really, though, what hit me?"

"Some blond guy," the teen shrugged, her perceptive gaze instantly zeroing in on her mentor when he stiffed slightly. "Is he Scarlet's apprentice or something? I've never heard of her operating with a partner."

Slightly stunned, Drakken turned his coal black orbs to meet intense emerald eyes. A series of options appeared in the scientists head, starting with the ones that would get him the least amount of grief and slowly working to the most troublesome thing he could do. He knew he _shouldn't_ tell Shego everything he knew about Scarlet- about Kim Possible- but... it would be nice to have someone to talk to about the conundrum. Perhaps, in some crazy way, Shego could make sense of the redhead's actions. His decision made, the blue skinned man became completely serious. "Shego, lock the door."

Though she quirked a brow, the teen did as she was told, locking the door to the small medical room before reclaiming her seat. It took a minute of heavy silence before the doctor began, his eyes focused on Shego.

"What I'm about to tell you is completely top secret, Shego. You can _never_ talk about it with _anyone_. _Especially_ Du and Director, understand?" Shego nodded vigorously, part of her gloating she was about to be privy to information not even the Cyclops knew. The other part was interested because it had to do with Scarlet and _anything_ she could lord over that infuriating woman would be a big plus. "Good. Now... have you ever heard the name Kim Possible?"

Next Time: While Kim and company learn a bit about Shego, Shego learns a bit about Kim and company! But what's not being said? And how is it relevant to, well, anything? Stick around for Chapter 4 to find out!

Author's Note: Okay, this update took _a while_. I made a pretty fatal flaw in the first chapter: I made Shego _way_ underskilled in comparrison to Kim. It's necessary for the story, which is why I did it originally, but it puts a major hamper on writing epic fight scenes when one party just _isn't_ as practiced as the other. So, that's my excuse for the not-so-awesome fight scene (pitchforks are to your left, just give me a two minute head start before y'all start chasing me). However, I had a few people who motivated me to keep working on this after I got a bit bogged down with other things, so I shall take a moment to recognize them.

Big thanks to Berserkeroo, who helped me out immensly with this chapter, beta reading and encouraging me to continue working on it. You're awesome!

Thanks to Jay aka Jordan, who suggested the nickname 'Angel' for Shego!

Also, here's wishing my favorite dinosaur a happy birthday! Congrats on the level up, Shaggley!

Now, don't think just because I haven't called you out that I don't appreciate your input. I am _very_ grateful for all the reviews, favs, and alerts. Which is why I am going to pose to you all a challenge: I need something else for Kim to go after besides these silly statuettes. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm thinkin' a painting but I know less than jack about art... meh... And, of course, credit will go to whoever makes the suggestion I run with. (Side note: pretty sure this is my longest AN thus far... cripes!)


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